Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar has raised concerns about the officiating during Tuesday night’s Game 2 victory. According to Bednar, the officiating contributed to disruptions in the game’s flow during regulation time.
Makar Penalty Shot Disagreement
A key sequence occurred in the second period. Cale Makar fumbled a puck, leading to a breakaway for Kings forward Quinton Byfield. Makar made contact with Byfield’s stick, but a penalty shot was awarded.
Bednar didn’t agree with the call. “I don’t think Cale’s is a penalty. He doesn’t get his hands. So I don’t think it’s a penalty, but it breaks up a breakaway,” he said.
Scott Wedgewood saved the penalty shot. “Great save by Wedge. Keeps us in a time game,” Bednar said.
MacKinnon Interference Penalty
Later, Nathan MacKinnon was called for interference. This occurred after MacKinnon dropped the puck back upon entering the zone. Bednar also disagreed with this call.
“I don’t think MacKinnon’s is a penalty either,” Bednar said. “He ladders it out, he’s taking a route and tries to get outside Laferriere and runs into him. I don’t think it’s a penalty. He has nowhere else to go. Laferriere is on the inside, he takes the outside route, and he’s stepping out to play our guy and runs into him. I don’t know how you avoid that.”
This penalty ended an Avalanche power play early.
Discipline Concerns
The Avalanche went 0-for-3 on the power play, which included the shortened chances. The Kings went 1-for-5 on their power play.
Bednar acknowledged some penalties were warranted. “All our other penalties were penalties, and we deserved them,” he said. “We’ve got to be more disciplined. We take a penalty we didn’t need to take late in the third, and it cost us a goal against. We’ve got to be careful. The competitiveness is there, the second effort is there and then we’re reaching in on a couple. We’ve got to just clean up a few of those decisions.”
Nic Roy’s overtime winner was one of the more rewarding plays of the series.